Let's be honest. If you mention Arizona State basketball record to a casual fan, they probably think of Bobby Hurley’s technical fouls or maybe a James Harden highlight from twenty years ago. There is this weird narrative that ASU is just a "football school" or a "party school" where basketball is an afterthought. But if you actually look at the numbers, especially lately, that is just not true.
The Sun Devils have a history that is way more chaotic and successful than people give them credit for. We are talking about a program that has been around for 114 seasons. They’ve played nearly 3,000 games. Right now, as of mid-January 2026, the Sun Devils are sitting at a 10-7 record for the current season. They are 1-3 in their new home, the Big 12, which is basically the gauntlet of college basketball.
But you can’t understand where they are without looking at how they got here.
The Bobby Hurley Era and the Big 12 Jump
Bobby Hurley has been in Tempe for over a decade now. That is a lifetime in modern coaching. People love to debate his impact, but the Arizona State basketball record under his watch shows a guy who has dragged the program into the national conversation more often than not. Before Hurley, the Sun Devils were lucky to get 20 wins once or twice a decade. Under Hurley, they’ve had four 20-win seasons since 2017.
The move to the Big 12 has been... well, it’s been a lot.
Arizona State started this 2025-26 season pretty hot. They beat Texas in the Maui Invitational. They dropped 100 points on Washington State. But then they hit conference play. Losing to BYU 104-76 was a reality check. Then they lost a heartbreaker to Arizona—their first meeting as Big 12 rivals—89-82 on January 14, 2026.
It’s a tough transition. Honestly, the Big 12 doesn't care about your history. They just want to beat you by 30.
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Current Roster Breakdown (2025-26)
If you’ve watched them this year, you know Moe Odum is the engine. The senior guard is putting up 16.8 points and 6.5 assists per game. He’s the reason they stay in games when the shooting goes cold. Then you have Massamba Diop, the 7-foot-1 freshman from Senegal. He is raw, but he’s averaging nearly 15 points and 6 rebounds.
The team is scoring about 80.8 points per game, which is top-tier. The problem? They’re giving up 79.4. That’s a razor-thin margin.
Historic Milestones and the Ned Wulk Years
If you want to talk about the "Golden Age" of the Arizona State basketball record, you have to talk about Ned Wulk. He coached from 1958 to 1982.
The man won 406 games.
To put that in perspective, he led them to three Elite Eights. 1961, 1963, and 1975. In 1981, they were ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation. Think about the talent on that floor: Byron Scott, Fat Lever, and Alton Lister. That team was a juggernaut. They went 24-4 that year and 16-2 in the Pac-10.
Most people forget that ASU used to own the Border Conference and the WAC. They have eight regular-season conference championships.
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- 1961-62: 23-4 record (10-0 in conference)
- 1962-63: 26-3 record (Elite Eight appearance)
- 1974-75: 25-4 record (Shared the WAC title)
The historical record for the program (since 1911) is roughly 1491-1331. That is a .528 winning percentage. It’s not Blue Blood territory like Kansas or Kentucky, but it’s a solid, winning history that often gets overlooked because of the shadow cast by that school down south in Tucson.
The Territorial Cup: A Record of Pain and Glory
We have to talk about the Arizona rivalry. It’s unavoidable. The Arizona State basketball record against the Wildcats is... painful for Sun Devil fans.
The all-time series is roughly 164-87 in favor of Arizona.
Arizona has had some massive streaks. They won 17 in a row in the late 40s. But ASU fans will never let you forget the 15-game winning streak the Sun Devils had from 1958 to 1965.
Lately, it’s been a struggle. Since 2019, ASU is 4-10 against the Wildcats. However, they are "clutch" in a way that defies logic. Since the start of the 2019 season, Arizona State has 48 wins in games decided by six points or less. That is tied for the most in all of college basketball. They might lose big sometimes, but if it's close in the final two minutes, you'd be a fool to bet against Hurley’s squad.
Why the 2023 Win Still Matters
If you want one game that defines the recent record, it's the 2023 upset in Tucson. Desmond Cambridge Jr. hit a 60-foot shot at the buzzer to beat #7 Arizona. It didn't just win a game; it proved that ASU can play with anyone when the chaos energy is high.
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NCAA Tournament Heartbreak
The Sun Devils have been to the Big Dance 17 times. Their tournament record is 15-18.
They haven't made it past the second round since 1995 (a year that was later vacated due to some point-shaving nonsense involving Stevin Smith, which is a whole different story).
Under Hurley, they’ve made it three times: 2018, 2019, and 2023. They have a "First Four" reputation because they always seem to be on the bubble. In 2023, they destroyed Nevada 98-73 in the First Four before losing a 72-70 heartbreaker to TCU.
It feels like they are always this close to a deep run, but the ball just doesn't bounce their way in March.
What’s Next for the Record?
Basically, the Sun Devils are in a massive rebuilding phase within the toughest conference in America. The Arizona State basketball record is going to take some hits over the next year as they adjust to the Big 12's physicality.
If you are following this team, keep an eye on these specific metrics:
- The 6-point margin: If ASU is in a close game, they are likely to win. Their "clutch" rating is statistically an anomaly.
- Home Court at Desert Financial: They need to get back to winning 80% of their home games to stay relevant in the Big 12 standings.
- Transfer Portal Success: Hurley has leaned hard on transfers like Moe Odum. The record lives and dies by how well these guys gel in November and December.
Don't let the "football school" label fool you. This is a program with three Elite Eights, a legendary coach in Ned Wulk, and a current coach who has more ranked wins in ten years than the program had in the twenty years before him. They are inconsistent, sure. They are frustrating. But they are never boring.
To track the progress of the program this season, keep an eye on the upcoming rematch against Arizona on January 31, 2026. That game in Tempe will be a major indicator of whether this team can finish the season above the .500 mark. Monitoring the Big 12 standings weekly is essential, as the margin between a tournament bid and a losing season in this conference is usually just two or three games.